Every year, tens of thousands of animal and plant species are extinct

Each year, there are 18,000 - 55,000 more extinct animal and plant species. The cause is due to human activities. Alarm from the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The extinction rate is multiplying by 1,000 times the base extinction rate: 3 species disappear every hour; every day 150 species are lost; every year 18,000 - 55,000 species of animals and plants are extinct. The above are data provided by Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biodiversity, on the occasion of International Day of Biodiversity (May 22).

The theme of the Biodiversity Day (2007) is "Climate change and biodiversity".

Planting trees - contributing to biodiversity conservation (Photo: Diem Ha)

According to Ahmed Djoghlaf, recently, in the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2,500 experts from 130 countries have pointed out that the accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) in the atmosphere is at an unprecedented level. now has been in the past 650,000 years.

The cause is due to human activities.

Ahmed Djoghlaf also said that 1,395 scientists from 95 countries have also demonstrated negative impacts caused by human activities on nature. Accordingly, humans are witnessing the biggest wave of extinction since the dinosaurs disappeared on Earth.

The Secretariat of the Convention on Bio-diversity also warned that by the end of the century, many species and ecosystems will be struggling to adapt to changes in temperature, rainfall and extinction rates. . It is evident that polar bear disappearance disappears due to reduced ice; or climate change that reduces the lake water level in Africa by about 30%, resulting in about 25-40 numbers of African endemic species that may disappear in 2085.

This suggests that climate change is an important cause of biodiversity degradation. At the same time, biodiversity degradation and degradation of natural habitats also contribute to climate change.

Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf said that when policy makers around the world today pay special attention to the role of biodiversity - a factor often overlooked in climate change coping strategies. From there, it can help the poorest people adapt to the changing weather to improve their quality of life.

Accordingly, if jointly addressing the threats that lead to the weakening of biodiversity and addressing climate change issues, people are likely to increase their adaptability to new challenges in the next decade. . At the same time, ensure life for the poorest of the poor.

Kieu Minh